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Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea will meet for the first time ever on Wednesday when the two clash at Signal Iduna Park in the UEFA Champions League round of 16. The Germans are upwardly mobile in the Bundesliga and closing the gap on leaders Bayern Munich and surprise package Union Berlin while the Premier League outfit are still struggling to score goals which is hampering their attempts to get back into European contention. The Yellow Wall will be intimidating for Graham Potter’s men as they take on Edin Terzic’s vibrant attacking side which is not without its defensive vulnerabilities, though.
Here’s our storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 15 Borussia Dortmund vs. Chelsea
Team news
Dortmund: Youssoufa Moukoko is out injured for both legs so either Sebastian Haller or Anthony Modeste could start. Marius Wolf, Abdoulaye Kamara, and Mateu Morey are all out injured but Thomas Meunier could be back to compete with Julian Ryerson for a starting role. Karim Adeyemi is back and available and expect Jude Bellingham to take center stage against Premier League opposition.
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Chelsea: N’Golo Kante, Christian Pulisic, Armando Broja, and Edouard Mendy are all out injured while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Benoit Badiashile, Noni Madueke, David Datro Fofana, and Andrey Santos are all ineligible. Wesley Fofana, Mateo Kovacic, Denis Zakaria, Raheem Sterling, and Kalidou Koulibaly all face late fitness tests to gauge their readiness. Despite almost leaving in January for PSG, Hakim Ziyech could find himself starting here as he is still part of Poetter’s European squad.
Prediction
This one promises goals on both sides in front of a raucous crowd. Both sides can hurt the other but equally can be hurt at the back due to their fragile defenses. This has the makings of being this midweek’s highest-scoring affair. Pick: Dortmund 2, Chelsea 2.